Strangers in the night
by redbedroom82
Summary: Edward convinces Bella to be his fake girlfriend on his trip home to please his mother.
1. Chapter 1

I sat at the end of the bar that had become my regular spot as of two weeks ago. The news of my mothers impending death was a hard shock to my system. The cancer she had was spreading rapidly and there was nothing that could be done. I fought for more opinions at first but the best doctor I knew was in fact my father and I finally gave into the true results knowing that if he couldn't save her then there wasn't much hope seeing as being one in a million doesn't happen often.

I moved half way across the country after college wanting to be away from the suffocating country life only to find that I missed it after I left. I soon relocated myself again to the small town of Summerville, South Carolina. I loved the warm weather and the beautiful scenery.

My mother had begged me for years to move back home. She said that I could find what I had here somewhere closer to her. Now thinking back I wish I would have never refused her constant begging. Her begging though had eventually subsided and she bugged me on other things. Like my work life and love life. She said I worked to much and that I needed to enjoy life. Which was why after sick of hearing I need a stable woman in my life. I had made one up.

Now as she only had a few months to live I was beginning to regret telling her I had a beautiful girlfriend that I adored with everything in me. I had named her Isabella, but never informed my mother of her last name. I only came up with the lie so she would stop telling me that I work my life away and that I needed to enjoy the little things.

I was thoroughly screwed now that my mother had asked me to come home to see her. I hadn't been there in almost two years. On top of that she had requested that I bring Isabella. She said a mother deserved to meet the love of her sons life even if she couldn't witness the wedding. _Hint Hint. _

Yup I was screwed.

"Need another?" The brunette bar tender asked standing in front of me. Even though she wasn't looking at me I knew she was speaking to me. I had come here enough in the last couple weeks to know the routine. This place was never that busy and she had friends come in to keep her company as her shift went on. They had on occasion tried to persuade me into their conversations but I politely refused and went back to drinking my worries and sorrows away.

"Yea, thanks." I said sliding the five dollar bill onto the bar. What surprised me on this night was her saying goodbye to her normal crowd. I watched as they left laughing together. She set my fresh drink in front of me leaving the change beside the glass.

I almost dropped the drink as I picked it up when I watched her jump easily onto the counter sliding off the other side and striding over to the jukebox. I must have been staring because when she turned around to look at me she gave me a funny look.

"Can I get you something else Mr. Cullen?"

"Um, no. But you can call me Edward." I hated being called Mr. Cullen. It made me feel older then I was.

"Ok." She turned back around searching through the song list. Eventually she made up her mind and the soothing voices of the Beatles filled the air. I was rather shocked that such a young girl would be playing them. It was then that I realized in the two weeks that I had hung out here I still didn't know her name. Or maybe it was that I didn't remember it. I was sure she told me but I couldn't think of it.

"Beatles huh?" I asked still trying to remember her name.

"Yea. My mom is a big fan. My dad on the other hand is more into the rock scene. So I have a very large musical taste." She smiled lightly at me going back to cleaning the few dirty cups she had. "What about you? Are you a fan?"

"Who doesn't like the Beatles?" I laughed knowing only minutes ago I thought it was weird that she knew them. "But I too like a lot of different kinds of music. Pretty much if I can understand it I will listen to it."

"What if it doesn't have words?"

"Classical? I love it actually. I love playing the piano." Her eyes slide to the back of the bar where an old upright beaten wooden piano set. My guess was that it hadn't been played in years and probably needed a horrible tuning but I stood anyway making my way to the back. I heard the click of her shoes and her clap as she knew she got what she wanted. "And what is it that you want me to play?"

"I don't care." She said loudly as she was still by the jukebox turning the volume down for the moment.

Not wanting to make a fool of myself I decided not to play something I had tried writing. No one had ever heard those so I didn't know if they were good or not. Instead I stuck to the classics of Bach.

She sat silently next to me on the piano bench staring at my hands. When I finally ended the song she smiled with her eyes closed.

"I always wanted to learn to play. But I didn't have the patience. I gave up after a year of lessons when I was 11."

"I can't tell you how long I've been playing. My parents always had a piano in the house. My mom taught me." I stopped talking at the memory of the times of me and my mother sitting together at our old piano. I dropped my head once again and wondered how I was going to tell my mother I had been lying to her. "Isabella!" I said snapping my head up. I remembered the bar tenders name looking at her. She had a confused smile on her face. I had meet her the night I told my mother about my fake girlfriend. It was how I came up with the name.

I was in this bar before and she was being yelled at by some bleach blonde haired, overly tan guy. My guess that night was that it was her boyfriend because she had been trying to quietly calm him down.

"Yes?" She said pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Your name. I couldn't remember it I'm sorry."

"Yes but I don't go by that. I like to be called Bella."

"Oh. Sorry."

"That's fine. I didn't bother correcting you a couple weeks ago because you didn't seem like you wanted to be bothered by such little things." So I had remembered it when I first came in. I guess the stress of everything made me forget momentarily.

"Yea, sorry about that. I don't usually drink this much. Nor do I tend to just be a loner at the bar but its been a rough couple of weeks."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know."

"It might help to get it off your chest. Plus I'm kind of use to hearing a lot of stuff being said so if it needs to stay a secret I can do that."

"No it's not a secret. It's just my mom. She has cancer and isn't going to make it."

"Oh I'm so sorry! There's nothing anyone can do?"

"No, there's like a five percent chance she could make it, but it doesn't look good." She placed her hand on my back in comfort. "What's worse is that I haven't been home in almost two years and she thinks I have a girlfriend who I am madly in love with and wants to meet because she says she needs to meet the girl who has me head over heels in love."

"She thinks you have one? So you don't and now you need to come up with a girl?"

"Yea kind of."

"Well then just ask a friend. If that is what I had to do for my dying mother I would. You know. It sounds bad but in the end she won't know the difference. And if you can make her happy just one more time. Why not try right?"

"You really are good at this whole bar tender therapist thing aren't you." I smiled a little.

"Yea I know. I am kind of amazing." She bumped her shoulder into mine playfully and stood up to go back to the bar. I followed her as she turned the volume back up for the music and I sat on my regular stool once again. "So when are you suppose to go back?"

"Well she was given a six months. But I guess I need to make it sooner rather then later."

"Yea that would be smart. So got any girls in mind?" She said probably trying to lighten the subject even if it was to cover yet another problem of mine.

"No not really. I have mainly guy friends down here and well to be honest I sort of named her after you. I didn't mean to. The first time I was ever in this bar your were here with some guy. He called you Isabella. Later I had been talking to my mom and she had started in on the whole love life lecture. So I told her I meet someone. When she asked her name I just sort of blurted out your name. I guess I didn't realize it until today."

"Well thank you." She curtsied and pretending to be flattered at my choosing of names. She laughed when I gave her a fake dirty look. "What. Life is too short to not laugh at what you can. I know its not an ideal situation but still. If you can't find humor in the littlest things then life is just to damn serious." I watched as she laughed again and went back to cleaning. The last twenty minutes with this girl had completely amazed me. She was so carefree and I was jealous of that.

"What about you?" I asked suddenly and without thinking it through. I knew she would be the perfect choice mainly because I had based my fake girlfriend off from her without really meaning to.

"What about me?"

"You. You come with me and be my girlfriend. I mean my fake girlfriend." I said embarrassed a little at my misstatement.

"We don't even know each other." She said with a small smile probably thinking I was insane. "Plus I think my mother would kill me if I up and left the bar for however long."

"She doesn't give you vacations?" She gave me a side glance. "Please come on. I don't have a ton of friends here mainly my life has been work since I got here and you would be doing me a huge favor! I would owe you! I will pay you!"

"Eww, that makes me sound like a prostitute or something."

"That would imply sleeping with me." She blushed deeply and then threw the towel she was holding at me. "Hey I was just stating the facts. So what do you say. Take some time off and help me out?"

"Oh this sounds so bad like one of those messed up horror movies you see and the sweet guy convinces the girl to do something really stupid."

"I promise I am not crazy. Or a killer." I said holding my right hand up. She gave me yet again another dirty playful look.

"Where are you from?" She said setting down her new towel and making her way towards me.

"Forks, Washington."

"Well I have never been out west." I looked hopeful at her. I mean finding a fake girlfriend was her idea. "Ok let me check with my mother make sure she can find a replacement for me on my time off. Do you have any idea how long you are going for?"

"No. I just planned on taking a leave of absence from work." She nodded her head slightly in consideration while grabbing her cell phone out of her work apron.

After a few minutes of silence her phone rang. Her eyes widen at reading the caller I.D..

"Hey mom... No I'm not joking... No I was just invited to go on a trip out west and I really want to go... Just with some friends that's all... Um, when do I leave?" She said glancing at me and I shrugged my shoulders not knowing when was best to say considering all I really needed to do was leave when she could. "Um, next few days I guess... I know.. Yea... really?... wow thanks.. ok... See you soon... Love you too.." She hung up the phone with a sigh of relief.

"Twenty questions I take it." I laughed.

"Yup, but on the bright side she said I could leave when ever and she would take care of things here until she gets a part time replacement."

"So your her only employee?"

"No, but we can't seem to keep waitresses so I usually work a lot of hours."

"So your parents own the bar?"

"Yea my mom does. My dad is a cop. Quite the pair them two." She laughed and shook her head. "But now that I can go whenever, when do we leave? And I don't actually know anything about you so speaking of twenty question we might need to take a shot at playing that."

"Might need to make it more like forty questions. I'm suppose to be completely in love with you remember."

I sat there finishing my drink as she took care of some paper work waiting for her mother to show up. Seeing as she said she was going on a trip with friends I didn't think it was a good idea to stay there to meet her mother just yet.

* * *

To say I was nervous about my pending trip with Bella was an understatement. I can't believe I convinced myself this was a good idea. And to say the least I can't believe she agreed. We didn't even know each other. I was silently freaking out wondering if Bella was even going to show when I seen her walk into the airport suitcase being pulled behind her.

Her hair was still wet from the shower she must have taken that morning and it was thrown into a messy bun on top of her head. The overly sized sweat pants she hand on were rolled at the waist band and hugged her tanned skin at her hip bones. The white wife beater she wore was knotted in the back hugging her body perfectly.

"I seriously can't believe I agree to this. Let alone at 6 am." She gave me a tired dirty look but I couldn't move. "Um, Edward. You ok?" She waved her hand in front of my face.

"Um, yea, sorry. I guess I zoned out for a minute." She glanced down her body to where my eyes had been focused earlier. Looking back at me I sighed knowing she knew I had been staring.

"Come on perv." She said playfully pushing my arm and winking.

I'm a dead man.

I followed her to check our bags in and then to the security before getting on our plane.

"So Forks, Washington is where you grew up and your 25 years old. You major in graphic design and minored in business management. Your favorite food is pizza with everything on it. And you two siblings Alice and Emmett. Emmett is two years older Alice is your twin."

"Yes and you grew up here in Summerville and went to college for marketing. Your 24 years old. Parents married, favorite food is anything Italian, and your an only child."

"Well looks like we remember the basics." She said as we made our way to our seats. "You can have the window. I don't really like flying that much."

"I'll add that to the list of things about you." I laughed a little sitting down.

As the plane took off Bella's hand found mind.

"Sorry." She said beginning to let go. But I wrapped my fingers within hers.

"Its fine. The least I can do is hold your hand when your scared seeing as your flying for me." She smiled slightly but kept her eyes shut tightly as the plane rose even more. "Tell me about your childhood or something. Take your mind of the plane."

"Um, My full name is Isabella Marie Swan. I was a cheerleader from middle school until I graduated. My mom wanted me in dance and gymnastics and a million other things but I wasn't actually the normal girly girl. I only stayed in cheer leading because it was the one thing I actually enjoyed plus it was like dance and gymnastics put together so it made my mother happy. You?"

"Edward Masen Cullen. Played football and basketball. I always like drawing so my favorite classes in school was art. My dad would have rather seen me become a doctor but spending another 7 or more years in school wasn't something I was really wanting to do. And you can open your eyes we are fully in the air now. And I closed the shade so you can't see outside."

"Thanks." She smiled at me finally opening her eyes.

I soon found out her favorite color was red. She loved the beach and playing volleyball with her friends. Her mother inherited the bar from her parents and that her parents met and married very young. She hated her brown eyes, I refrained from telling her I thought they were beautiful, and she hated being called Isabella.

"Five things you have always wanted to do?" She asked seeing as most of the time we talked about her.

"Oh wow, I never really thought about it." I leaned back again the head rest. "Like things I want to do before I die?" She nodded yes. "Lets see I want to travel outside of the country. I want to write and publish a song. I want to learn to fly a plane. I want to ride a bull, well a mechanical one at least." I added when her eyes widened, "And I want a family someday." I added sheepishly. I hadn't ever really thought about any of this stuff before hand. "How about you?"

"There is defiantly more then five but um, I guess, I want to go to Rome. I want to ride in a hot air balloon."

"But you hate flying."

"I know. But usually the things you are most scared of are the things that are the most fun or worthwhile." She had a point. Hopefully because I was scarred shitless about going home that it was suppose to be a good thing in some way. "I want to see snow in person. I also want to bungee jump someday. And I want to go to time square for New Years Eve."

"So you have thought these things through I take it."

"Yea just a little. Growing up in a small town makes you a dreamer I guess."

"Yea I defiantly know how that feels."

The captain voice came over the intercom and announced our arrival would be soon. The planes height began to drop and Bella' hand once again found mine.


	2. Chapter 2

"You ready for this?" I asked her as we climbed out of the rental car.

"This is where you grew up? Its, well, amazing!" I smiled at her. It was like she never seen a big house before. Granted Summerville wasn't full of mansions but still it's not like I grew up in the biggest house ever built.

"Yea. My dads a doctor remember."

"You said doctor. Not mega bucks doctor. And to answer your question I don't think we could be any more prepared then we are but there is no turning back now is there." She smiled at me while I grabbed our bags from the trunk.

It was a cool foggy morning in Forks, but when was it not. After the flight, time change, and long car ride it was now 11 am. We barely made it to the steps when the front door flew open.

"Eddie! Your home!" My mother carefully came down the front steps to greet us. "Honey get out here! Edwards home! Bring Emmett to help with the bags!" She gave me a tight hug and then turned and noticed Bella standing beside me.

"Oh and this must be Isabella. Oh dear you did not do her justice on her beauty." She said pulling her into a hug.

"Thank you. And you can call me Bella." My mother gave me a side glance at the difference in name. "Yea Edward likes to use Isabella, he says it beautiful. But it's so nice to finally meet you Mrs. Cullen."

"Oh dear, please call me Esme. No need for the Mrs. stuff. You here are already family." She hugged Bella again as my dad and brother came outside.

"Wow man you bagged a hottie." Oh good lord I was going to slap him.

"Thanks man. Dad, Emmett, this is Bella, my girlfriend." I added though I am sure it was unnecessary.

"It's nice to meet you both." Bella said shaking their hands.

"Here let me take those bags." Emmett grabbed the bags from me and headed towards the house.

"Come here babe. Let me give you the grand tour." I said jokingly as everyone else headed inside in front of us. Bella laughed at my sigh of relief and we followed my mother and father up the front steps. "And this is my old room. I guess where we will be staying." I walked into the room and was instantly annoyed at myself for not checking it first.

Of course it still looked exactly like it did when I was in school. The desk in the corner where a picture frame sat of my family, to the half naked model in a bikini plastered by my bed. That on the other hand was different. My mother must have decided that since I was having a girl come home with me I needed a larger bed. I watched Bella go over to the tall book shelf that sat in the room and look at all of my awards and trophies for various things. Mainly sports but still an embarrassing shrine my mother refused to pack away.

She glanced at the poster now. "Nice." She said while laughing.

"Yea sorry about that. I didn't think it would still be up."

"It's fine." She smiled again. I placed our bags to the side of the room and watched her as she looked through the rest of my high school bedroom. It felt weird being in here with her. Not that I hadn't ever had a girl in here before. It was just I never had one in here that my parents knew about.

"Edward! Alice and Jasper are here!" My mothers voice came from door stairs.

"Round two." Bella said with a wink. I threw my head back throwing a silent prayer up that all this would be worth and work. Alice being my twin would be the hardest to fool. We seemed to have that connection of knowing when something was wrong or off. I had never been able to lie to her. "Come on. If you look like that it will never work."

"Sorry I just, I'm nervous I guess." She started walking towards me staring straight into my eyes.

"What are you nervous about?"

"That I will mess up. That Alice will read me like a book like I know she always has been able to." She took another step closing the gap between us. Her eyes moved to my chest and her fingers tracing the outline of the muscles in my arms.

"Anything else?"

"That, um, that I will, um, hurt my mom, um, because I lied to her." Her hand moved up over my shoulder and to the back of my neck.

"And?" She said moving her lips to my ear whispering. I couldn't think. She smelled amazing and her body felt amazing against mine and without thinking I moved my own hand down her arm taking her hand in mine pulling her closer if that was even possible.

"Hey, oh sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." Bella and I quickly moved apart my she kept her hand in mine. Alice was standing in my doorway with Jasper next to her.

"Oh not interrupting just having a quick moment. You must be Alice and Jasper. I'm Bella, it's so nice to finally meet you." Bella had plastered a smile on her face and greeted them. She was better then I thought.

"Likewise!" Alice said pulling her into a hug. "I can't wait to get to know you."

We followed them downstairs hand in hand. The moment Bella's lips had almost met mine had pushed every worry out of my head. I assume that was her goal. We spent the day catching up with my family and making small talk. Rose, Emmett's wife, joined us not much later and soon we were talking dinner ideas.

I watched as Alice pulled Bella into the kitchen to help with dinner and for the next hour I barely tore my eyes from the door.

"Dude, they're not going to chase her away in one day relax." Emmett said punching my arm.

"Sorry just nervous." I admitted though I probably shouldn't have because of the look I was receiving from all the men in the room. "I just mean I'm nervous because I've never brought a girl home before. I mean one that I was so serious about." I was rambling. Crap.

"Well she is also not like any other girl you have been with." Jasper said laughing. He had been in my family's life for as long as I could remember. He and Alice have been together for a couple years now and have been planning their wedding for the last year. It was to take place this coming summer.

"Yea I know." It was true Bella was nothing like the normal girls I ended up dating. Normally I found myself with clingy overbearing headcases. Not being able to take it any longer I got up to check on Bella but made an excuse that I was getting something to drink.

I made my way through the door into the dinning room and towards the kitchen. I heard laughter coming from the slighter ajar door. I stopped to listen as I got closer.

"Oh my god I so need to those pictures!" Bella's voice floated into my ears.

"Oh dear don't you worry. We have plenty of time to look at those." They were all giggling. I really was wondering what pictures they were talking about.

"Baby pictures."

"Jesus dude don't scare me like that." Emmett was standing behind me.

"Figured you were spying, but its mom playing to show off your baby pictures. Don't worry she did it to me when I first brought Rose home."

"Great." That was all I wanted to was to torture Bella with Mother-Girlfriend bullshit. I needed to get her out of there. But then it was Alice's voice that broke me from my train of thought.

"This may be to early to say but I like you so much better then any other girl that I have meet because of Edward. He usually dates stuck up bitches who wouldn't be caught dead in here with us laughing and joking."

"Well like I told Edward when we first meet. Life is to short to not enjoy it so why not laugh when you can."

"Oh and she has a brain. I think you are a keeper." Alice threw her arms around Bella and surprising Bella was smiling from ear to ear. Damn she was a good actress. I walked back into the living room feeling a little bit a peace that I knew what was going on in there. Though I would have to apologize to Bella later for letting her get stuck hanging out and talking gossip with them.

"Boys, dinner is ready." Alice yelled into the living room. None of us wasted time getting up. It had been to long since I had a home cooked meal and I was looking forward to it.

Dinner was filled with laughter and more catching up. And of course more stories of me and my siblings just to embarases us in front of our 'guests'.

"Mom what else have you found out about the cancer?" I finally spoke up. It had bothered me that not a word had been said since I arrived. Everyone got really quiet and focused on their plates.

"Now dear lets not spoil the dinner." My mom said quickly passing my father more potatoes.

"Well when is a good time?"

"Edward." My fathers voice was harsh.

"No whats going on why hasn't anyone talked about it all day."

"Because I don't want sure them to." My mother said setting her silverware down and looking at me. "I know this is hard for you but I don't want to be remembered as being sick. I don't want to discuss it." I wasn't why I got so mad. I understood that she didn't want to be remembered that way but I just didn't want her to ignore the sickness either.

I couldn't sit there everyone was just eating. Before I knew it I was out the backdoor and making my way across the backyard.

"Hey," I ignored her. I was to pissed off to care about anything at the moment. The river that ran at the edge of or yard was still tonight. That is until I started throwing rocks into it. "I'd ask if you are ok but I'm thinking that is a dumb question." I still didn't say anything as she made her way to stand next to me. "You know losing the people you love is never easy. But at least you know. It means you have a chance to say goodbye. Most of the time we never know when someone will be taken from us. You know?" Her hand was held out with a rock in it. I moved to grab it but stopped instead finally looking at her.

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry to me about. Or anyone else really. You have a right to how you feel. Just maybe shouldn't have walked out on dinner."

"I use to come out here and skip rocks when I was upset. No one ever bothered to come out and talk to me though. They would just let me blow of steam."

"I can go back inside. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you." Bella moved to go inside but I reached out for her instead.

"No, please don't go." She looked down at her hands entwined together. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that I'm not use to someone coming after me." Her hand brushed my cheek and then she was in my arms.

"I know this entire situation isn't ideal but just so you know, I will always be here for you." I hugged her back as she buried her face into my neck.

"Thanks."

"You ready to go back inside yet?" She said pulling back and looking at me. I nodded yes and she left the embrace of my arms and pulled me towards the house. When we got inside the dinning room table was empty and soft voices came from the living room. We walked in to find my mother and father sitting on the couch together enjoying a glass of wine.

"Where did everyone else go?" I asked.

"Oh they were tired and wanted to get home." My mother set her glass down on the coffee table.

"I'm going to let you guys talk." Bella smiled and placed her hand on my cheek giving me a quick kiss and going upstairs after thanking my parents for dinner.

"Look honey I didn't mean to upset you. I just want my remaining time to be happy not about being sick."

"I know I'm sorry I over reacted. I just wish there was something someone could do."

"Well there might be." My head snapped to my father. "A doctor in Seattle is doing a trial and it might help."

"Help?"

"Yes. If it helps enough surgery might be worth doing but right now its only a trial and a very big what if. So please don't get to much hope for this. Right now we are just looking at options."

"Ok." I nodded. We said goodnight and I went upstairs. Bella was sitting on the edge of the bed in a sports bra and booty shorts. She was flipping through my senior yearbook.

"Hey,"

"Oh, hey, sorry. I just got curious." She stood up and put the book back on the shelf and turned towards me. I hadn't realized it till now that I had been walking towards her. "Are you ok?"

"Yea, I'm better. Thanks for talking to me. And calming me down." My fingers found the soft skin above her hip.

"It's really no big deal." She said smiling. "Ready for bed. I'm exhausted." I moved my hand away quickly worrying if I over stepped and silently cursed myself for not thinking clearly.

"Um, yea." We both glanced at the bed. "I can, um, sleep on the floor."

"Really." She said turning to me. "Don't be an idiot. Get in the damn bed." I gave her a fake dirty look for the idiot comment. "Oh come on I just flew across the country with you I think I can manage to sleep on opposite sides of the same bed with you. She giggled again and then climbed under the covers of the bed.

I had followed suit and fell asleep quickly but woke up a few hours later to find that instead of being by the wall I was now in the center of the bed and Bella's head was resting on my chest. Her leg entwined mine and my arms were wrapped around her body. I thought about moving us but I was to comfortable to care.

Waking again as the sunlight flooded the room, I found myself alone. I felt disappointed but reminded myself that this wasn't about that. I wandered downstairs to hear my mothers voice coming from the kitchen followed Bella's.

"Aw, he was such a cute kid." Bella cooed.

"I know, prettiest baby ever. Aside from my other two of course." Another laugh. "Ok so now that we have all this mixed together you have to add the secret ingredient. These are my Eddie's favorite."

"Well he has good taste this batter is amazing." I walked in to find Bella licking her finger and my mother teaching her how to make blueberry pancakes. She was still in her pajamas but had added one of my old high school shirts.

"Morning." I said walking up to Bella kissing her quickly on the cheek.

"Morning babe." She said with a wink.

"So what are your plans today?" My moms said tearing my eyes from Bella.

"Um, I don't know. Were we suppose to have plans?"

"No, I just have a doctors appointment to go to this afternoon. I thought it would be nice if you showed Bella around town. You know show here where you grew up."

"Oh yea, um, sure sounds good."

"Oh and call you brother and sister. I know they really miss you as well and since we don't know how long it will be before your next visit you really should spend some time with them as well." My mother turned to me holding a plate of pancakes. "Now go eat and get ready for the day." Bella hoped down from the counter and followed me to the table.

"Your mother is amazing." She said as we sat down.

"Thanks, I kinda think so too." I said with a laugh.

"No I really mean it. Your whole family is so accepting."

"Well that is because you are nothing like I use to date or well do date. I don't know. Anyways they like you so of course they are nice to you and accept you. And why wouldn't they. Your kind of amazing yourself." She blushed. "You can't say you don't believe me because look at what you are doing for me." She blushed again and we started eating.

We spent the morning with my parents until it was time for them to leave and then meet Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rose at the local diner for lunch.

"Hey guys!" Alice called us over to their table as we walked in the door. "About time you got here. So what are we doing today?"

"Well mom suggest I show Bella around so I thought maybe hit up the high school."

"Oh I haven't been there in years!" Rose gushed. "Bella you will love it! We can tell you so many stories." I let my head fall back and I smiled. They were really testing her with the amount of stories and the scary part is they all know the worst ones.

"So all you meet in school?" She asked.

"Yea. Emmett didn't leave me alone until I finally agreed to go out on a date with him."

"And then she was like putty in my hands." Emmett smiled putting his arm around Rose's chair.

"More like I had you whipped in two dates." We all started laughing as Emmett put his head down in defeat. "We got married a little over a year ago. And Jasper and Alice's wedding is in two months but I am sure Edward has told you about that."

"Oh yea, we plan on being there."

"Really?" Alice asked brightly.

"Oh course why wouldn't we." Bella glanced at me looking confused and then looked back at Alice.

"Well he said he didn't know if he could get it off work and that if he could he didn't know if you would be able to as well. Of course this was like a month ago but this is so great because now he can be in the wedding too!"

"Yea sorry Alice I forgot to tell you. I just guess it slipped my mind with everything." I took Bella's hand and smiled at unable to help myself and I was glad to see her smile back.

As we made our way to the high school memories flooded my mind. I couldn't believe I was about to set foot back in this place and I hadn't seen it since I graduated. We walked the halls together laughing at the random memories until our group slip into couples.

"So what are your favorite memories here?" Bella said slipping her hand into mine.

"No one else is around you don't have to act." I laughed a little but for some reason part of me didn't want her to let go.

"You never know Mr. Cullen." She said with a wink. "Anyway are you avoiding the question."

"No." I said shaking my head in amusement. "Come on." I pulled her along the hallway till we made it to the gym doors and walked inside. "This is where I got in my first fight."

"That's your favorite memory."

"Well no but one of them. I was a sophomore and the guy was a senior. I was picked to be on the varsity team and so there was some hazing involved. You know to see if I was tough enough. And the guy sucker punched me."

"That sounds like bullying not hazing."

"True but when everyone was laughing because they thought I was down in one hit I took my chance and tackled him when he wasn't looking. Got in two hits before he really realized I was attacking and then the teacher broke it up. Granted a sneak attack is a bitch move but I was accepted because I guess it took a lot of balls to do that."

"Nice." She shook her head. "Anything else happen in here that you like to remember?"

"Ah, they told you." She laughed. "Ok for the record it was just kissing. Nothing else was happening and it wasn't out in front of everyone like Emmett likes to say. It was under the bleachers."

"I was told nothing of kissing in the gym. I was thinking more along the lines of hitting the game winning shot for the state championship title."

"Oh," It was my turn to blush.

"So making out under the bleachers huh?" She picked up a basketball and tossed it to me.

"Yea, whats it to ya?"

"Well as the girl you _love _I might be jealous."

"Really now." I said spinning the ball on my finger walking towards her. "And what would the boy you _love _do to make it up to you?"

"Hm, I think I like this game." Bella said taking a step towards me. "How do you do that?" She pointed at the ball.

"Here." I pulled her closer to me and then gave the ball another spin. "Put your hand like mine." She gave me her finger and I placed it under the ball moving the ball to on top of hers and gave it a spin again.

"Wow." She looked amused that she was holding it by herself, that is until I blew on it to knock it off her hand. "Hey!" She chased after me laughing. "You are so dead for that!"

We were laughing and joking as I let her bring me to the floor and pin me.

"I win." My arms were above my head as we both fought to catch our breath.

"Trying to take care of a weird fantasy lil brother?" We both looked towards the open door.

"Hey Em." I said laughing as Bella climbed off my lap.

"You guys ready to head out of here before we are caught. We could hear you two down the hall." Bella jumped on my back as we followed everyone else outside. We drove in separate cars but decided to meet back at our parents house.

"So were you going to say anything to me about the wedding?" Bella asked once we were alone again.

"Yea about that you really didn't have to agree to that. You are doing enough for me already with pretending to be my girlfriend and everything."

"It's important to your sister and probably your mom so when I said I would do this I figured it would be more then this one time."

"You did?"

"Yea. Plus I happen to like your family remember. So if you want to go, which you should. I'm in."

"You amazing."

"If you keep saying that my ego isn't going to fit in this car." We both laughed as we pulled into the driveway. The others hadn't made it back yet but I was ok with spending more alone time with Bella.

She really was different then any other girl I had ever hung out with but I was getting confused with all these little moments we kept having.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So thank you to all of you that Reviewed and Alerted/Favorited this story! Means the word to me! Anyways I own nothing but my mistakes and after re-reading that last chapter WHOA I need to not write when I am tired! lol.. SOOO I hope you enjoy this chapter.. A little short.. but I am finding where I want to go with this story and I need to do some.. fillers I guess Lol.. Leave me some love if you want and until next time! :)**

* * *

Bella was amazing. I had never met a girl so full of life. She was high spirited and laughed so much it just made me smile to be around her. We were getting ready to get on the plane when I noticed the small exchange between Bella, Alice, and Rose. I wasn't sure what was going on seeing as my attention was suppose to be on the conversation with my dad.

"Ok so Alice will send you everything you need to know about your tux colors and where to get it. And will we be seeing you before the wedding?"

"Um, I don't," My mothers hand waved in front of my face. "Yea sorry, I don't know. And work knows my situation so I can come whenever you want me to. I just don't know that Bella will be able to come all the time."

"Oh well you take good care of her you hear. I raised you to be a good man now make me proud." She gave me a kiss and hugged me. I shook my fathers hand and made my way to gather Bella.

"Ready babe? Sorry girls. We stay any longer we are going to miss our flight."

"Oh fine. Promise to keep in touch! And I want to get pictures of you to and your life in the south! Edward is so mean and won't ever send any." Alice said giving Bella a hug.

"Defiantly."

"Oh I'm going to miss you. Both of you." Alice said pulling me into the hug as well. "Come visit again soon."

"We will." I said as we stepped away and made our way onto the plane. "Well that was fun."

"It was."

"I was being sarcastic." I said with a huff.

"I wasn't. I had a lot of fun with your family." She gave me a weird look. "Did it not go as planned?"

"No that's not what I meant. I just meant that I didn't want to make you feel like you have to keep going there with me or pleasing them."

"Stop." She turned to face me so quickly that I about knocked us both over. "Look, if you don't want me to go again that is fine and I will understand, but on the chance that you do want me to go again, I will in no way feel like I have to. When I said I like your family I meant it. And in two weeks I found all group of new friends, that in which include you ok?"

"Ok," I felt the sudden urge to kiss her but she was walking before I had the chance to even think about it.

We made small talk on our flight home and went our separate ways once we reached Summerville. It was nice to be back in the south. I loved the warm weather here. But I was worried about how things would be between Bella and I now that we were back.

It took a couple days for me to get the courage to go and see her.

"Hey stranger. Thought you ran away without me or something." She said as I walked into the dimly lit bar.

"Oh I could never run away without the love of my life you know that." She laughed and gave me a cute curtsey. The door swung open once again bringing in a group of people that I knew as Bella's friends.

"Hey guys this is Edward, Edward this is Jessica, Angela, Mike, Tyler, Eric, Lauren, and Seth."

"Ah, so your the guy that stole Bella away for a couple weeks. Nice to meet ya." The guy Seth came up and shook my hand as everyone else came and joined me at my end of the bar to make small talk.

"So I was thinking we should all go to the festival tonight." Tyler suggested. "Bella are you in?" He asked when everyone but her agreed.

"Um, I don't know, I will check and see if the bar is staying open or not."

"Ok well I have to get out of these work clothes. Bella please come and hangout you haven't gone in years." Jessica gave her a pleading look before leaving with the rest to go and get ready.

"Years? You haven't gone to your town festival in years?"

"So?" She seemed to be avoiding the topic but I wasn't having that. She got to know me and where I grew up now it was my turn to know her.

"Ok call your mom or who ever we are going out."

"What?" She said smiling at me quickly.

"I'm taking you to the festival and you are showing me the town you grew up in."

"Edward you have lived her for a few years you already know this town."

"Not from you I don't." I grabbed her hand as she reached for her purse and keys to lock up. She followed me out the front door and I waited for her to lock up as she sent her mom a text. It wasn't like there was any customers anyway. Everyone was out enjoying the amazing weather and the festival.

Bella showed me her high school. The roller skating rink where she broke her arm in the 5th grade and took me on the Ferris wheel where she received her first kiss from a guy named Jake.

We were watching the sunset on the slightly crowed beach when Bella rested her head on my shoulder. "Thanks for today."

"No problem. I loved getting to see where you grew up." She smiled at me and then kissed my cheek turning her attention back to the setting sun. We sat there long enough to watch the crowd thin. The band that had been playing off the deck of some beach diner was now packing up and the sky was now growing dark.

"You know I have never been in the ocean." I said trying to make conversation.

"Why?"

"Scared. Sounds funny but I don't know I guess its the immensity of it."

"I haven't been in there since before graduating."

"Why?"

"Scared. I just couldn't go in there one day." She shrugged her shoulders looking at me.

"I'll go in if you do." I said holding my hand out for her to take. She eyed it carefully looking nervous. "Trust me?" I said standing up still holding out my hand. She gave one look at the ocean before us and then smiled and took my hand running to the water along side of me.

* * *

I walked into the bar the following week to find Bella on her phone talking excitedly.

"Oh well duh we will be there." She held up a finger telling me to hold on. "Ok, text me everything and I will get with Edward for when we can take off. I can't wait to see you! Ok.. Ok.. Bye!" She set her phone down smiling from ear to ear.

"So what are we doing?" I asked laughing. She reminded me of Alice when she was excited about something.

"Well your mom wants to go on a family vacation one last time. You know just in case." Her voice was a little soft towards the end but when I didn't say anything she went on. "Anyways I guess you guys have a beach house somewhere-"

"Riviera Maya."

"Yea and well so everyone is going down next week and that was Alice seeing if we could be there."

"Do you talk to her often? I didn't even know she had your number."

"Yea. Um, we talk pretty much everyday. Is that ok? I don't want to over step or anything."

"No, its fine I just didn't know you guys had gotten so close. I like it actually." I was throwing caution to the wind as I leaned towards her over the bar.

"Hm, you like it. Aw, do you like your love talking to your sister."

"Yes, very much so." Her lips met mine and it was like fireworks. I was almost thankful for the bar between us or this could have gotten us into trouble.

"Ahem." We pulled apart quickly to see an older women standing by the front door.

"Mom, hi." Bella's face flushed as she glanced at me shyly.

"Hi, I see you aren't that busy today. I can, um, take over if you wish to take off?" She gave me a side look and then turned back towards Bella.

"Actually I was going to need more time off. And mom this is Edward, Edward this is my mom Renae."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." I stepped forward and shook her hand.

"You as well. It's nice to meet the guy that has caught my daughters attention."

"All her attention huh?" I looked at Bella.

"Oh yes. She can't stop talking about you." The smile on my face grew bigger.

"Anyways mom. I am going with Edward to Riviera Maya with his family next week."

"Ok. Well just make sure you know where your passport is and everything else you need. I'm sure Jessica won't mind the extra money again. But now you two go ahead and get out of here. I'm sure I will close up early anyway." I watched as Bella gave her mom a hug and we took off to have dinner together.

"So if the bar doesn't get a lot of business why keep it open?" I asked as we walked the boardwalk together, hand in hand.

"Because it's been in my family for a long time. My mom was going to shut it down but she just couldn't bring herself to do it." The band on the beach played in the distance as we came closer to the spot we had went swimming at.

"I guess I should get our tickets in order. Did Alice say if we could just meet them there?"

"No she didn't mention it but I am sure that would be fine. Why would we fly all the way to Washington just to fly to Mexico?"

"I don't know I guess."

I drove her home after having dessert and listening to the band. My father paid for our plane tickets because it was so last minute but either way I knew I would still go. It not only meant making my mom happy but I got to spend more time with Bella and if I had to admit it, I knew she was changing me. In a good way.


	4. Chapter 4

**I Own nothing...  
**

**Again thank you all for the reviews and adding this to your favorites and/or Alerts! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Well we are going to be there a day before everyone else. It was either that or three days later."

"That's fine. It will be nice. Like a mini vacation just for us." She winked and handed me my food that I had ordered and then went to take care for the table that had just entered the bar.

"I can't believe you get to go there Bella. You are so damn lucky." Jessica said picking at her salad.

"Well it is my family's place. We could all go there whenever. Just not this time. Not sure how my parents would feel about it turning into a party vacation."

"Really your parents would be cool with that?" Seth said stuffing his face. I noticed _J.B. _tattooed onto his arm. I was about to ask what it was for when I noticed a similar tattoo on the inside of Laurens wrist. I had a weird feeling not to bring it up.

"You know, if we do, do that whole friends weekend thing we have to invite Alice, Rose, Emmett, and Jasper." Bella said walking back to us leaning on the counter.

"Who is that?" Angela asked. At least I think it was Angela. To be honest I met so many people the last few days I was having a hard time keeping there names straight.

"My sister and brother and there better halves." I said taking the last bite of my dinner. "Bells I will pick ya up tomorrow morning."

"K' see you then." She blew me a kiss and then went back to chatting with her friends.

I could barely sleep that night. All I could think about was having Bella next to me again. When we first got back from my parents place I found it hard to sleep at first my assumed it was because I had gotten use to sleeping next to someone. But I don't think there is any other woman that could make me feel like she does. She makes me want to be a better person and makes me want to live a better life.

She was so wise for her age. Though she wasn't much younger then me she always had the right thing to say and knew just how to act.

"Morning love." I said greeting her as the door opened. She looked as though she just crawled out of bed.

"Morning."

"Are you ready?"

"Yup just have to grab my bags. Though I didn't get much sleep last night so I will be needing a nap on the plane ride."

"I didn't sleep well either. I guess we can cuddle on the plane." I took her bags from her and she followed me to the car.

* * *

"Oh..My.. God.." Bella stood in the living room looking out the picture window to the view of the Caribbean. "I think I am in heaven. Can we stay here forever?" I set the bags down walking up behind her pulling her into my chest. I buried my face into her hair taking in the smell of strawberry's.

"We can stay as long as you want." I placed kiss down her neck and she leaned into me. I knew what I was doing was wrong. That I shouldn't feel the way I do or want her as much as this. I knew in the end I would end up hurting us both but if Bella had taught me anything it was to live in the moment.

"Hm," A soft moan escaped her lips.

"Hmm, someone enjoying themselves." I mumbled against the soft skin of her neck.

"Yes." She spun around in my arms attacking my lips. I had kissed her before but not like this. Not alone, well not completely. I felt like such a girl over thinking every moment we had together but there was a part of me that couldn't help it.

"I've wanted that for so long now." I said as we pulled apart. She smiled in return glancing back at me.

"Um, do you want to show me around?" I grabbed her hand with a smile giving her the tour of the house. We were walking back towards the living room when there was a knock at the door and a woman entered with fresh food and some cleaning supplies.

I let her go to the kitchen on her own knowing she had worked for my parents for a while now. I was nervous about this weekend. My mom said she had something to discuss with me and give me. I hope she wasn't planning goodbyes already. I'm not sure I could take that. But if that was the case, I was glad that Bella would be here to help me.

She was a god send. I couldn't have done the last weeks without her.

"You ok?" She said breaking me from my thoughts.

"Yea was just thinking."

"About?"

"You." I answered honestly. She cheeks turned pink and she looked away from me. "Do you want to walk around? See some of the area?"

"Yea that would be amazing! Are you sure we shouldn't wait for the others. I don't want to leave them out."

"Oh they have been here before. Emmett and Rose spent their honeymoon here and I know that Alice and Jasper have been here with the family before so its nothing new to them." We walked out the slider door and onto the beach.

* * *

"Hey!" Alice and Bella hugged each other the moment everyone walked through the door. "I'm so glad you could get off work to come. Isn't this place amazing!"

"Its breath taking. I'm not sure I want to leave, ever. Its paradise here." Bella said while giving everyone else hugs. I joined in on the hugs and greeting. Again we spent the day catching up. My mom was pretty tired from traveling so we just relaxed the first day. BUt it was that night when everyone went out to see the night sky that my mom stopped me before joining them.

"Dear do you have a minute?"

"For you always." I followed her back to the living room and sat down next to her while she searched a bag she had grabbed.

"I wanted to give you this. Oh where is it." She said still bent over the bag. "Ah, here it is." She turned towards me but whatever she had been searching for I couldn't see because it was concealed in her hands. "Ok I've been under going a new treatment and it seems to have worked some."

"Some?"

"Yes. The cancer is shrinking. Which means that surgery may help."

"May help?"

"Yes, let me finish." She patted my leg. She knew I was nervous. "Your father and I have discussed it and I would like to go ahead with the surgery and continue this new treatment because I don't think my time is up yet. But I have been warned this is very risky. And that there isn't a good chance either way. I can stop treatment and not do the surgery and I wouldn't have much time. But if I do the surgery I could have a lot more time."

"Or?"

"Or it could be unsuccessful and I wouldn't make it through the surgery."

"Mom, are you sure that's a good idea? I mean don't take that the wrong way I want to see you for many more years but if there is a better chance that I can have you for the next couple months rather than none at all I will take the time I can get."

"I know that it is scary. But I don't want to give up yet. And I want to see my grandchildren and I want to see my last son get married." She said touching my cheek.

"Mom I-" She placed a small box in my hand.

"This was your grandmothers. She gave it to your father to give to me." I opened the box to see a beautiful old ring. "I want you to have it so you can give it to Bella one day."

"Mom I-"

"I know that you may not be ready tot get married. But I wanted to give it to you now while I still could just in case."

"Please don't talk like that and if your doing this surgery to someday see me get married to Bella. I think there is something I need to tell you."


	5. Chapter 5

_"At this moment, there are 6 billion, 4 hundred, 71 million, 8 hundred, 18 thousand, 6 hundred, 71 people in the world. Some are running scared.. some are coming home. Some tell lies to make it through the day.. others are just now facing the truth. Some are evil men at war with good, and some are good.. struggling with evil. 6 billion people in the world, 6 billion souls - and sometimes...all you need is 1."_

_-One Tree Hill  
_

* * *

I didn't know how to tell my mother the truth. I looked out the window to see Bella with my family. Laughing. Playing. I didn't want this time together to end but I couldn't let my mother do something that could kill for something that wasn't even real.

"What is it dear?" My mother looked worried when I turned my attention back on her.

"It's about me and Bella. It's well when you called and told me that you had cancer and that you wanted to see me and my girlfriend. I well-"

"Found one." She said with a small smile. I was in shock. "Though I am curious as how you found a girl with the same name."

"Wait what?"

"It just having to find a fake girlfriend on such short notice must have been difficult, let alone one with the same name you came up with."

"That, was, that was because the night I told you about Bella was the first time I had ever seen her." I said still not blinking. I wasn't even sure I was breathing. My mom knew. She knew already. "How?"

"Well I had my doubts in the beginning when you said you had a girlfriend. And then when you said you were actually bringing her I was shocked. And then I watched you two grow together and start to fall for each other right in front of me."

"Fall for each other?" Now I was really confused. I knew I liked Bella, a lot. But falling for her. I never thought about it that way.

"Well that is the reason for the ring. I wanted you to actually think about what you were doing. Bella is an amazing girl and I know you love each other. I can see it. And I am not doing the surgery just to see you two get married. I'm doing it because I feel its what I need to do. And someday when you guys do get married I will be honored to dance the mother-son dance with you." She was beaming again. I was still in shock. Was I in love with Bella?

I turned back to the window looking out on her again. She was amazing and I didn't want this all to end. But love? Can you love someone your not even really with.

"Edward?" My mom said coming to stand next to me. I didn't even know I had moved towards the window. "Whats wrong?"

"How can you see it when I don't even know if its true?"

"Because, I'm your mother. I watched your sister and your brother fall in love and I have been in love myself. Sometimes what's right in front of you is the hardest to accept. You and Bella started for all the wrong reasons. But that doesn't mean you can't stay together for all the right ones." I didn't say anything but next thing I knew I was standing by myself.

I watched as my mother crossed the sand to stand with my father. I was always amazed with them. There life together was like a fairy tail when I was a kid and now watching her stay strong through the illness and seeing him stand by her through it made me realize I want that someday too. I want to make a woman proud to call me her husband. I wanted Bella to be proud of me. Maybe even proud enough to one day call me her husband.

I knew my mom was right about the way I felt but I wasn't sure she was right that it went both ways. I tucked the ring away into my suitcase before joining the others outside.

"You ok?" Bella asked as I stood next to her. She slipped her hand into mine and smiled. I couldn't help but lean down and kiss her.

"Yea, I think so." I smiled. She moved in closer to me hugging me.

The week we spent with my family was the best time I had in my life. I never wanted it to end. But as reality would have it our time ended. I had yet to find the words to tell Bella my mom knew the truth. And I took the week really thinking over how I felt.

"We will see you at the wedding right?"

"Yes. We wouldn't miss it." Bella hugged Rose and Alice and then joined me saying goodbye to my parents. As I hugged my mom she winked as whispered to just trust myself. I felt a twinge of guilt but pushed it aside. I would say something to Bella on the way home.

* * *

"You ok?" Bella asked as I sat down at the bar.

"Yea just thinking about this surgery that my mom is having done." I had yet to tell Bella the rest of the conversation with my mom. I had gotten the first part out and then we just got lost in conversation about that.

"You just have to believe everything will work out."

"Easier said then done." I said as she handed me a beer. "I just, I'm not ready to lose her. I know I haven't been around much until now. But I just, I'm not ready to say goodbye."

"No one ever is ready for goodbye. That's why no one likes them. But at some point you have to accept what is because if you go through life living in the past and wishing and hoping your going to end up disappointed."

"How come you always know what to say?"

"Because I'm amazing." She winked and tossed a peanut into her mouth. "Plus I read a lot. And anyway, shes doing this so you don't have to say goodbye."

"But if she doesn't do it we can have a guaranteed few months. With the surgery we aren't sure the outcome. She could die then because its so risky. I don't know if I could do that you know. Be ok with her dying now when we could have a little more time with her."

"Yea, its hard to think about it that way. But that's why that version sucks. You worry to much."

"Again, easier said then done when it comes to, not worrying."

"Yea, yea, yea, look you need a breather. Your sisters wedding is this weekend and you don't want to turn grey before that do you?"

"No I guess not." I smiled as she ran her fingers through my hair.


	6. Chapter 6

_"It all just feels so fake, ya know? This idea that good things happen to good people. That there's magic in the world, and that the meek and the righteous will inherit it. Too many good people suffer for that to be true. Too many prayers go unanswered. And every day it just gets worse. Every day we ignore how truly broken this world is, and we tell ourselves it's all going to be okay. But it's not going to be okay. And once you know that, there's no going back. There's no magic in the world...at least today there isn't."_

_-Haley (One Tree Hill)  
_

* * *

"You look amazing." I kissed my sisters cheek.

"Thanks."

"You nervous."

"Nope." She said grinning from ear to ear. "I have been ready for this day since I laid eyes on Jasper." I laughed.

"You were a kid then."

"So. I planned this wedding since I was 12 and he was always the groom in my mind." I gave her another hug and left the room to find Jasper once again. Bella was standing with my mom and dad when I came into the foyer of the churc'h. We had spent time after the rehearsal dinner making sure everything was right. Alice's decorations were amazing. She had put so much effort into this wedding I joked and told her to use her business degree in becoming a wedding planner.

As people gathered to sit down I followed Jasper to the front. I stood as best man.

The music began as I watch Rose and Tanya walk towards us. The congregation stood when the wedding march began and out came Alice. She has never looked better in her life. She was smiling and most likely already tearing up. I couldn't believe this day was here and I was happy that I came to celebrate it with them. And that Bella was here with me. She stood next to my mother holding her hand beaming at Alice.

The pastor began and the vows were spoken. The ceremony was amazing and beautiful and eventual we made our way to the reception which was at our house. Which no doubt was beautiful as well. Alice was quiet the planner. The trail that led to the backyard was amazing and covered in white rose petals.

We danced and talked with guest congratulated the new couple and then called for the best man and made of honor speeches. Rose went first as Bella sat on my lap at the head table to listen.

"I've known these two for as long as they have been a couple and even before. And it never once surprised me that they would end up together. Their love for each other is one to cherish. One to learn from. They give their hearts to each other unconditionally and they give me hope. They bring me happiness knowing such love can and does exist. So here's to Alice and Jasper, here's to hope, here's to love." She raised her glass to everyone as they cheered and drank.

My turn. Crap. I hated public speaking.

"Helen Keller once said 'The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.' And looking at my sister and one of my best friends I can tell that, that is true. I've never witnessed before the love those to share and the way Alice just knew they were going to be together brings me faith that I will someday feel that too. You guys have always belonged together. And I am so blessed to witness this day with you both. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more, that plants the fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds. That's what I hope to both of you." I raised my glass taking a large gulp. I really hated speaking in public.

"That was really sweet." Bella said kissing my cheek. "I will be right back. I'm going to go freshen up. I watched her walk into the house before turning to mingle with family that I hadn't seen in a long time.

I hadn't noticed how long Bella had been missing until someone asked to meet her. I looked around assuming she was off somewhere with Rose or Alice but she was no where in sight. I excused myself to go inside and get her. I had an odd feeling that something was off but I didn't know what. I made my way to my old bedroom to have my bad feeling confirmed.

Her suitcase was gone.

A piece of paper was folded onto the bed with a box on top of it. A small black velvet box. I felt sick. I couldn't move. My heart was breaking because at that moment. In that one second. I knew I was in love with her. I guess its true that you don't know what you have until its gone. I moved to the bed sitting down to read the note.

_'I'm Sorry. This has gone to far.'  
_

I knew what she meant. I jumped to the same conclusion when my mother presented the ring to me. I really was regretting not telling Bella an of that sooner. And now she was gone.

* * *

**BPOV  
**

****I sat in the warm night breeze staring at the ocean. The waves crashed loudly against the shore. I sat there numb. I had been numb for years now. Or I thought I was. Until he walked into my life.

What was I thinking. How could I suggest for him to get a fake girl friend and then agree to be said fake girlfriend. God I was an idiot.

"Twice in two months. Wow." My mothers voice shocked me but I didn't move from my spot.

"I've come to the beach more then twice." I said defensively.

"Yes but not to this spot." She glanced at my foot where _JB _was tattooed to the inside of my heel. "It's ok to move on you know. He wouldn't be mad even if he was here. Like really here."

"Mom, don't." I did not want to talk about this, not with her, not with anyone.

"Why not? You have avoided it for five years now. You wouldn't even go to therapy."

"It's because I am fine. People die mom."

"Yea but since then you have done every dangerous thing you could think of. And denied love or anything romantic along the way."

"So just because I haven't dated something is wrong with me?"

"No, but I wouldn't say that you haven't dated. You and Edward may have been fake but those feelings were real."

"What feelings mom? We pretended everything for his mom."

"Ok, is that why a month ago I picked you up from the airport with make-up running down your face and still in a dress. Is that why when Edward came into your life you weren't just smiling to make people think you were ok, you were smiling because for once in five years you were happy?"

"Mom-"

"His moms surgery is tomorrow. I don't know what happened. But sometimes everyone deserves a chance to explain or a second chance altogether." She placed an envelope next to me and stood up. "If anything he deserves to know why you left without an explanation."

"And how am I suppose to explain that? Its sounds pretty stupid to say that I'm still hurt by something that happened five years ago."

"It helps to start with the truth."

"Hey mom?" I said as she started to walk away.

"Yea sweetie?"

"How did you know when Esme's surgery was?"

"She called. She said she wanted to explain. Your father and I bought you a ticket to Seattle. You should go. He is going to need you. Because as much as you have helped him. He has helped you as well. And friends or more then friends, you promised to be there for him and though this is hard for you, its going to be worse for him."

I picked up the envelope she had left next to me as she left. Inside was a ticket and a printed letter from Esme that she must have emailed to my mom since I wasn't home. I took a deep breath before reading.

_Dear Bella,_

_I can't begin to say how sorry I am that you found the ring I gave to Edward. It belonged to his grandmother and I wanted him to have it. I gave each of the kids something and since Emmett and Alice both didn't need a ring anymore I wanted him to have it. I gave it to him in hopes that he would realize his true feelings for you.  
_

_Yes, I knew the whole time what was going on. Though he didn't know that fact until Riviera Maya. I assumed he would talk to you about it when he sorted out his feelings. I don't want you to feel bad that your ruse didn't work. Because you gave me the greatest gift a mother could ask for. You gave me the gift of being able to see my son fall in love.  
_

_You are already family in my eyes. And if this is the last I get to share with you I want you to know that I wish you the best and that I hope you and Edward can work things out.  
_

_Love Always, Esme.  
_


	7. Chapter 7

_Me? I'm scared of everything.I'm scared of what I saw, I'm scared of what I did, of who I am, and most of all I'm scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I'm with you._

-_Dirty Dancing  
_

* * *

The hospital smelled of antiseptic and cleaning supplies. I always hated that smell. It made me feel sick. Weak. They said the surgery would be almost 12 hours long and it had already been the longest two hours of my life as I glanced at the clock.

Not one of us had spoken. Randomly someone would go get coffee or walk around the hospital just to do something other then wait.

I glanced at the clock again. Two hours and one minute down.

I got up quickly causing random people to look at me but I ignored them and left the room. I made my way to the room my mother would come to when she was out of recovery. If recovery was needed.

I needed to not think like that. I ran my hands through my hair.

"Trying to make yourself bald?" I froze. "It wouldn't be a good look for you. I have a thing for shaggy hair." I looked up to see a half grin on her beautiful face.

"Bella, your here." I didn't know what to actually say. I'm sure I looked like an idiot stumbling over my own words.

"Yea," Her eyes were puffy from crying by the looks of it and she looked scared. "Look your mom told me everything. I need you to know the truth too though."

"The truth about what?" I was confused. I thought I was the only one who had kept the truth.

"Is it ok to talk now? I mean hows your mom doing? How long-"

"Don't worry I could use the distraction. And shes been in surgery for almost 3 hours now." She nodded glancing at her hands and then sat on the bed facing me. I wanted to go to her. To comfort her. She looked so scared but I didn't understand why.

"You always said I knew the right things to say and wondered how. I always just joked that I was amazing. But the truth is I was taught those things by the first guy I loved."

"Ok." I wasn't sure I wanted to know this story but felt better when she reached for my hand bringing me to the bed to sit next to her.

"When I was a freshman in high school I met Jacob on my first day. He was a transfer student and didn't know anyone so me and my friends took him into our group. We, um, started dating not long after that and before I knew it we were seniors." She took a breath trying to hold back tears that had formed in her eyes. "He was so, full of life, happy, carefree. He made me happy and we were suppose to go off to college together get degrees then come back home and live happily ever after. But five years ago was our senior skip day. And it was the worst day of my life."

_"Come on Bells hurry up!" Jake yelled to me from outside my house. "Hm, my baby is lookin' good!" He said as I stepped outside in a bathing suit and flip flops. Everyone else was already on their way to the beach. Seniors always spent skip day at the beach. _

_"Simmer I'm coming." I laughed climbing into his lift jeep. I kissed him quickly and we took off down the road.  
_

_As we pulled up into the parking lot I noticed all the girls already laying out in the sun. It was windy out that day and it caused the red 'do not swim' flag to whip in the wind. We always ignored that flag. Most of the time if it was red the girls just stayed on the beach while the guys surfed.  
_

_I laid a towel next to Jessica and Angela watching as Jacob joined the guys putting his wet suit on.  
_

_"Excited we are almost down with high school?" Jessica asked rubbing tanning lotion onto herself.  
_

_"Yes, we just got a layout plan to our apartment. I can't wait to live with Jake."  
_

_"You two are so cute together!" Angela gushed. We had been out for about an hour when the wind seemed to pick up. Us girls were playing volleyball when the crashes of the waves got louder. We turned to watch the guys attack the bigger waves and cheered them on. They always made a compition out of it.  
_

_Jake moved into the water farther to prepare for the onset of waves that were coming. I had a weird feeling as I watched him stand. I had that feeling every time he did something dangerous. He said I worried to much. _

_I watched as the water wrapped around him._

_I watched as the board came out from under him.  
_

_I couldn't breath. I waited. But he never surfaced. I could hear the people around me screaming. I seen the guys running into the water. Jessica's frantic voice was talking to a 911 operator.  
_

_Why wasn't he coming up. It was a joke right. Jake was strong then the undertow. We had come out here a million times at red flag. Minutes passed slowly as I watched the guys go back under the water searching again.  
_

_A shriek left my lips and I meant to move but arms surrounded me as I dropped to me knees. Mike and Seth were pulling Jake's body from the water. It was my mothers voice I heard in my ear telling me to breath.  
_

_Paramedics ran across the beach to Jake. I waited for him to breath, to move, to do anything. But I knew he was gone.  
_

__"I never really got over it. I spent the last five years doing things I was scared of to get the adrenalin rush to feel alive. That day I went numb to everything. I eventually learned to smile so people would stop asking if I was ok but I guess i wasn't that good at faking that because even my mom knew I wasn't really ok."

"Um, I really don't know what to say. I am so sorry you had to go through that. But, um, what does this have to do with us?" I was confused as she ended her story.

"Well I felt numb until you walked into my life. And then little things started to change. I smiled because I was actually happy. I wasn't worrying about pleasing anyone anymore. When we went in the ocean that day, I hadn't touched the water since the day Jake died. But you asked if I trusted you and I did. So I went in with you."

"Bella, why did you leave?" She took a deep breath.

"When I found the ring I didn't know what to think. And then I realized that if you were to propose, I would have said yes. And then i felt ashamed that I had forgotten about Jake and that I loved you more then I did him. And then I realized I was so in love with you that I was willing to marry you when you didn't share the same feelings, you were just making your mom happy. I freaked. I grabbed my bag and left."

"I wasn't going to propose Bella." I said quietly. "My, well, when my mom gave me that ring I planned to tell her the truth but she already knew. I just didn't tell you about the ring because I was still trying to figure out how I had fallen in love with you and not even known it. And then I was scared you wouldn't want me." She gave me a small smile. I pulled the ring from my pocket. I had been carrying it with me since she left.

"Edward,"

"Relax." I said when she eyed the box. "But I want you. All of you. I have never been more in love in my life and feeling the way I do about you I'm not sure I knew what love was until I met you. I want you to know that someday I will be putting this ring on your hand. On that beautiful finger of yours." I brought her hand to my lips and gave it a soft kiss. "I am so in love with you Bella Swan. Please, please, be my _real _girlfriend?"


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: I have rewritten this chapter a million times. I have gone back and forth so much I think I am lossing my mind.. So I really hope you all enjoy this. This is the last chapter.. I may write a squeal but not really sure.  
_**

* * *

**_"Poets often describe love as an emotion that we can't control, one that overwhelms logic and common sense. That's what it's like for me. I didn't plan on falling in love with you, and I doubt you planned on falling in love with me. But once we met, it was clear that neither of us could control what was happening to us. We fell in love, despite our differences, and once we did, something rare and beautiful was created. For me love like that has happened only once, and that's why every minute we spent together has been seared in my memory. I'll never forget a single moment."_**

**_-The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks  
_**

* * *

**_~3 years later~_  
**

**_EPOV  
_**

"Nervous?" Emmett asked coming to stand behind me.

"Nope." I said smiling. He chuckled and fixed his tie. The preacher patted my arm smiling and I shook his hand. Music began to play and I seen the bridesmaids make their way down the isle.

I couldn't help but smile at my sister as I listen to the lyrics being played. She had kept most of the planning between her and Bella but wanted to surprise us with little things.

_Yellow diamonds in the light_  
_Now we're standing side by side _

_As your shadow crosses mine  
What it takes to come alive  
_

_It's the way I'm feeling I just can't deny  
But I've gotta let it go  
_

_We found love in a hopeless place  
We found love in a hopeless place  
_

Bella's face imerege at the back of the church and every memory I had with her came flooding back. I smiled remembering the first time we talked.

* * *

_"What about you?" I asked suddenly and without thinking it through. I knew she would be the perfect choice mainly because I had based my fake girlfriend off from her without really meaning to._

_"What about me?"_

_"You. You come with me and be my girlfriend. I mean my fake girlfriend." I said embarrassed a little at my misstatement._

_"We don't even know each other." She said with a small smile probably thinking I was insane. "Plus I think my mother would kill me if I up and left the bar for however long."_

_"She doesn't give you vacations?" She gave me a side glance. "Please come on. I don't have a ton of friends here mainly my life has been work since I got here and you would be doing me a huge favor! I would owe you! I will pay you!"_

_"Eww, that makes me sound like a prostitute or something."_

_"That would imply sleeping with me." She blushed deeply and then threw the towel she was holding at me. "Hey I was just stating the facts. So what do you say. Take some time off and help me out?"_

_"Oh this sounds so bad like one of those messed up horror movies you see and the sweet guy convinces the girl to do something really stupid."_

_"I promise I am not crazy. Or a killer." I said holding my right hand up. She gave me yet again another dirty playful look._

* * *

_"_Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God, and in the presence of these witnesses, to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony," I stopped playing attention after that. Bella looked more beautiful then the day I met her and I didn't even know that was possible. As we began to say our vows more memories flooded my mind.

* * *

_"It's beautiful." Bella's arms were held out and she was spinning in circles as the snow drifted down around her. _

_"We you always wanted to see snow and come to times square for new years. I thought this was a perfect time for both." I said walking up to her and kissing her.  
_

_"Oh you love birds are so cute." Rose said walking up to us with Emmett at her side. Her hand was resting on her very large pregnant stomach. Alice was getting a piggy back ride from Jasper. We had taken shelter from the crowd and instead stayed on the roof of our hotel. It was an amazing view and we could see the ball drop from here and avoid the crowd. Bella and Alice were cooing over Rose's stomach when the guys joined me._

_"Going to chicken out?" Jasper said softly.  
_

_"No way in hell." I laughed when he said good. Screams came from below as the count down started. One minute till the new year. "Here goes nothing." I walked over to the girls taking a hold of Bella's hand. She turned to me smiling. As I got down on one knee he jaw dropped and both Alice and Rose gasped even though they knew this was coming.  
_

_"Bella, will you marry me?" I had a speech planned. But in that moment I had been to nervous to think and I ended up just blurting it out.  
_

* * *

"Edward and Isabella, you have committed yourselves to each other in marriage by the exchanging of vows, and by the giving of rings. With the authority vested in me by the state South Carolina, and with great joy, I now pronounce you husband and wife.

May you live together in blissful happiness from this day forward.

You may kiss the bride." The congregation erupted with applause as our lips met and the music stared once again.

_Yellow diamonds in the light_  
_ Now we're standing side by side  
As your shadow crosses mine  
_

_We found love in a hopeless place  
_

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen!"

We left the church to take more pictures, to be congratulated, and to head to our reception. To be honest I was really looking forward to just the honeymoon.

The reception hall was decorated to its full extent. We were served dinner first before any speeches or dances but it didn't take long for the food to disappear.

We shared our first dance along with the wedding party dance and soon it was time for the dance with our parents. Bella moved to the center of the floor as her father joined her side.

I watched as they danced to 'I loved her first' by Heartland. It was at her fathers request for that song. I watched and began thinking of a conversation I had with my mom long ago.

* * *

_"I know that it is scary. But I don't want to give up yet. And I want to see my grandchildren and I want to see my last son get married." She said touching my cheek._

_"Mom I-" She placed a small box in my hand._

_"This was your grandmothers. She gave it to your father to give to me." I opened the box to see a beautiful old ring. "I want you to have it so you can give it to Bella one day."_

_"Mom I-"_

_"I know that you may not be ready tot get married. But I wanted to give it to you now while I still could just in case."_

* * *

The following song filled the room as I stood in the center of the floor.

_Mama told me when I was young_  
_ Come sit beside me, my only son  
And listen closely to what I say  
And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day  
_

_Oh, take your time don't live too fast  
Troubles will come and they will pass  
Go find a woman you'll love  
And don't forget son there is someone up above.  
_

__Tears threatened to fall as my mother touch my cheek. I was so close to never spending this day with her. I use to not believe in miracles but as she danced with me I now knew they were possible.

"I'm so proud of you. You and Bella look amazing together."

"Thanks mom."


End file.
